Colloidal Jamming at Interfaces: a Route to Fluid-bicontinuous Gels

Colloidal particles or nanoparticles, with equal affinity for two fluids, are known to adsorb irreversibly to the fluid-fluid interface. We present large-scale computer simulations of the demixing of a binary solvent containing such particles. The newly formed interface sequesters the colloidal particles; as the interface coarsens, the particles are forced into close contact by interfacial tension. Coarsening is dramatically curtailed, and the jammed colloidal layer seemingly enters a glassy state, creating a multiply connected, solid-like film in three dimensions. The resulting gel contains percolating domains of both fluids, with possible uses as, for example, a microreaction medium

Identification of potato cyst nematodes using the polymerase chain reaction

On a utilisé la réaction d'amplification en chaîne par polymérase (PCR) pour amplifier une région entre l'ARNr 5S et la séquence de tête épissée de gènes d'ARN (5S-SL) de #Globodera rostochiensis et de #G. pallida. On a pu distinguer les souches de #G. rostochiensis, qui ont amplifié invariablement un seul fragment de 914 bp, des souches de #G. pallida, qui ont amplifié des fragments de 914 bp et 853 bp, et aussi de la plupart des souches Pa1 de #G. pallida, qui ont amplifié un seul fragment de 853 bp. L'identification des souches de #G. pallida et de #G. rostochiensis concordait bien lorsque l'on a utilisé soit la réaction PCR pour amplifier des fragments 5S-SL, soit des sondes d'ADN spécifiques aux nématodes à kystes de la pomme de terre, soit des tests sur plantes hôtes différentielles. La distinction entre les souches PA3 et PA1 de #G. pallida a été peu précise car certaines souches de Pa1 ont amplifié des fragments de 914 bp et de 853 bp, une réaction typique de Pa3, alors qu'elles s'hybridaient avec une sonde d'ADN spécifique de Pa1. D'ailleurs les tests de résistances ont montré qu'une de ces populations de nématodes pouvait être un mélange de Pa1 et de Pa3. Les expériences d'hybridation moléculaires ont indiqué que les sondes d'ADN utilisées n'étaient pas homologues aux séquences 5S-SL. (Résumé d'auteur

The application of mechanical diagnosis and therapy in lateral epicondylalgia

Background: lateral epicondylalgia (LE) is a musculoskeletal diagnosis that causes pain and dysfunction in the lateral aspect of the elbow. Mechanical diagnosis and therapy (MDT) is an orthopaedic classification and treatment system based on mechanical and symptomatic response to repeated and sustained end-range movement. There has been no investigation of the association between MDT and patients diagnosed with LE. Case description: this report presents three patients matching the currently accepted diagnostic criteria for LE, two with a diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) from a medical doctor. These patients were classified and treated by a diplomat of MDT and two third-year doctoral students of physical therapy using MDT. Outcomes: short- and long-term (one year) outcomes were excellent, demonstrating rapid abolishment of symptoms and return to prior levels of function in 3–6 visits between 11–59 days. Patients demonstrated the ability to prevent and manage reoccurrence of symptoms independently without seeking further health care. Discussion: this case series raises questions about whether or not the pathologies traditionally associated with the aetiology of LE are actually at fault. Moreover, it raises questions about the utility of special tests typically utilized to identify those structures. The series provides preliminary evidence that MDT may be capable of providing effective short- and long-term outcomes in the management of LE. Level of Evidence: 4 Keywords: Mechanical diagnosis and therapy, Lateral epicondylalgia, Case serie

Nonequilibrium steady states in sheared binary fluids

We simulate by lattice Boltzmann the steady shearing of a binary fluid mixture undergoing phase separation with full hydrodynamics in two dimensions. Contrary to some theoretical scenarios, a dynamical steady state is attained with finite domain lengths $L_{x,y}$ in the directions ($x,y)$ of velocity and velocity gradient. Apparent scaling exponents are estimated as $L_{x}\sim\dot{\gamma}^{-2/3}$ and $L_{y}\sim\dot{\gamma}^{-3/4}$. We discuss the relative roles of diffusivity and hydrodynamics in attaining steady state.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Improved hydrogen gas production in microbial electrolysis cells using inexpensive recycled carbon fibre fabrics

Growing energy demands of wastewater treatment have made it vital for water companies to develop less energy intensive processes for treating wastewater if net zero emissions are to be achieved by 2050. Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) have the potential to do this by treating water and producing renewable hydrogen gas as a product, but capital and operational costs have slowed their deployment. By using recycled carbon fibre mats, commercially viable MECs can brought closer to reality, where recycled carbon fibre anode MECs treating real wastewater (normalised ~3100 L d−1) were producing 66.77 L H2 d−1 while graphite felt anode MECs produced 3.65 L H2 d−1 per 1 m3 reactor, anodes costing £5.53 m−2 and £88.36 m−2 respectively, resulting in a total anode cost saving of 93%. This could incentivise the development of larger pilot systems, opening the door for generating greater value and a more sustainable wastewater treatment industry

The effect of radiosensitizers on the pharmacokinetics of melphalan and cyclophosphamide in the mouse.

Misonidazole (MISO) has been shown to affect the pharmacokinetics of both cyclophosphamide (CY) and melphalan (MEL) in WHT mice resulting in increased plasma levels of the cytotoxic drugs. The effect is not solely due to the reduction in body temperature observed with large single doses of MISO, as a change in MEL pharmacokinetics was still observed when the mice were maintained at 37 degrees C. Inhibition of cytotoxic drug metabolism may also be a possible mechanism. Such a pharmacokinetic effect could account for part of the potentiation of MEL and CY action observed in tumours with large single doses of MISO. However, a chronic low dosing schedule of MISO did not affect the plasma half-life of either cytotoxic drug, although a significant potentiation of each drug in combination with a chronic MISO dose has been obtained in some tumours. These results suggest that potentiation of chemotherapeutic drug action by MISO in the clinical situation is unlikely to be due to changes in drug pharmacokinetics

Hypoxia and hyperglycaemia determine why some endometrial tumours fail to respond to metformin

High expression of Ki67, a proliferation marker, is associated with reduced endometrial cancer-specific survival. Pre-surgical metformin reduces tumour Ki-67 expression in some women with endometrial cancer. Metformin's anti-cancer activity may relate to effects on cellular energy metabolism. Since tumour hypoxia and glucose availability are major cellular redox determinants, we evaluated their role in endometrial cancer response to metformin. Endometrial cancer biopsies from women treated with pre-surgical metformin were tested for the hypoxia markers, HIF-1α and CA-9. Endometrial cancer cell lines were treated with metformin in variable glucose concentrations in normoxia or hypoxia and cell viability, mitochondrial biogenesis, function and energy metabolism were assessed. In women treated with metformin (n = 28), Ki-67 response was lower in hypoxic tumours. Metformin showed minimal cytostatic effects towards Ishikawa and HEC1A cells in conventional medium (25 mM glucose). In low glucose (5.5 mM), a dose-dependent cytostatic effect was observed in normoxia but attenuated in hypoxia. Tumours treated with metformin showed increased mitochondrial mass (n = 25), while in cultured cells metformin decreased mitochondrial function. Metformin targets mitochondrial respiration, however, in hypoxic, high glucose conditions, there was a switch to glycolytic metabolism and decreased metformin response. Understanding the metabolic adaptations of endometrial tumours may identify patients likely to derive clinical benefit from metformin